Safety attachment for gas burners



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Patented July 5, 1932 ADOLIPH T. GRENTZ, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR GAS BURNERS Application filed October 30, 1928. Serial N'0. 316,048.

This invention is a device for automatically cutting off the flow of fuel to a gas burner, in the event that the flame is accidentally extinguished for any cause.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an attachment forgasburners, so constructed and arranged that the flow of gaseous fuel to the burner is controlled by means of a suitable valve, associated with means for automatically operating the valve to shut off the flow of gas in the event of accidental extinguishment of the flame. A further object is to provide a temperature responsive device positioned in the'normal path of the flames of the ignited gas in combination with valve control means, the action of which is governed by said temperature responsive device.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating a gas burner with the attachment applied there'- to. Figures 2 and 3 are side elevations partly in section respectively illustrating the positions of the elements while the flameis burn ing and after the flame hasbeen extinguished. Figures 4 and 5 are front elevationsrespectively of the illustrations of Figures 2 and Referring to the'drawings, 10 designates a gas burner of the type usually employed on gas stoves, said burner being'provided with the usual type of gas cook 11, controlled by a handle 12. Said cock consists of a casing provided with a passage G for connecting the burner with a source of fuel supply, and rotatably mounted within said casing is a sleeve 13, which is provided with openings 14 pc- 0 sitioned to register with said passageway. Said handle 12 is connected with said tube so as to rotate it. Slidably mountedin the tube 13 is a plunger 15, which is provided with an opening or passageway 16 capable of registering with the openings 14 and thefuel supply passage of the cock.

Pivotally connected in suitable manner'to a fulcrum support 17 is an actuating lever 18, one end of which is connected with the plunger 15 by means of a link 19. n will be noted that the lever 18 has its free end extending a substantial distance from the fulcrum block 17 so that the weight thereof will normally tend to move theplunger 15 to the position illustrated in Figure 3. Extending transversely across the burner, so as to be engaged by the flames while the burner is in operation is a temperature responsive memberT, consisting of two parallel bars which are suitably anchored at one 5'0 end, and at the other end are rigidly connected with a clamping lever 20. Said'last mentioned lever is pivotally supported at 21, in ears 22 secured to the burner in suitable i manner. It will be noted that the lever 20 is his provided with a downturned free end 23, which is positioned opposite an abutment member 24, also secured to the burner in suitable manner.

In operation, the parts are normally in 76 the" positions illustrated in Figure 3 when the burner is not in use. When it is desired to ignite the gas, the sleeve 13 is rotated to place its openings 14 in register with the gas a passage of the cook 11. The plunger 15 is '75 then pressed downwardly to the position illustrated in Figure 2, and this movement rocks the lever 18 to the approximately horizontal position disclosed in said Figure 2. By this action the passageway 16 is brought so into register with the openings 14 and the gas passage G, so thatgas will'flow to the burner head. The plunger 15 is held in a depressed position until the gas has been ignited, and the member T heated until the expansion thereof causes the lever 20 to rock upon its pivot, and to clampthe free end of the lever 18 between the end 23 of lever 20 and the abutment member 2 1. In this i way, the lever 18 is firmly gripped and held against movement until the flame is extinguished. Thismay occur either by rotating the handle 12 and the cock in the usual way or through some accidental extinguishment of the flame, such for instance as by being blown 9 out by a current of air, by water from akettle boiling over, or in anyone of the various ways by which this emergency may arise. Just as soon as the heat responsive member T cools, it contracts sufficiently to rock the lever 20 in a direction to remove pressure of the end 23 against the lever 18, so that the free end of the last mentioned. lever will drop by its own weight, thereby moving the plunger 15 to the normal off position, illustrated in Figure 3, and shutting oil the flow of gas.

The advantages of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it belongs. It will be particularly observed that a very simple form of device is provided, which is capable of being attached to the standard type of gas stove burner. It will be particularly noted that the device is so constructed and arranged that the flow of gas to the burner will normally not be aifected thereby, but that just as soon as the burner is extinguished for any cause, the device operates to insure the positive shutting old? of the flow of gas.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what is claimed 1. The combination with a gas burner and a cock for said burner having a passage therethrough, of a plunger slidably mounted in said cock and provided with an opening therein positioned to control the flow of gas through said passage, said plunger having an end extending through the top of the cock, so that it may be moved manually, a lever supported by said gas burner, means connecting one end of said lever with the plunger so that movement of the plunger to a position bringing said opening in register with the passage through the cock will impart movement to the lever, said lever having means normally acting upon said plunger to move it to a position with said opening and said passage out of register, and thermally responsive means operable to grip the lever so as to maintain the plunger in the first mentioned position while the gas flowing through the burner is ignited.

2. The combination with a burner and a cock for said burner having a passage therethrough, of a plungerslidably mounted in said cock and provided with an opening therein positioned so as to control the flow of gas through said passage, said plunger having one end extending through the top of the cock so that it may be moved manually and having its other end extended belowthe bottom of said cook, a pivotally supported lever, a link connecting one end of said lever with the lower end of said plunger so that movement of said plunger to a position bringing said opening in register with the passage through the cock will impart movement to the lever, the other end of said lever being weighted so as to normally act upon the plunger to move it to a position with said opening and said passage out of register, and thermostatic clamping means responsive to the heat of the burner and cooperating with the lever to maintain the plunger in open position while the gas flowing through the burner is ignited.

3. The combination with a gas burner and a cock for said burner having a passage therethrough, of a plunger slidably mounted in said cock and provided with an opening therethrough, a lever supported by said burner, means connecting one end of said lever with the plunger so that movement of said plunger to a position bringing said opening in register with the passage through the cock will impart movement to the lever, said lever having means normally acting upon said plunger to move it to a position with said opening and said passage out of register, an abutment member carried by said gas burner on one side of said lever, a gripper member movably mounted upon said gas burner, and having a portion cooperating with said abutment member to grip the lever so as to maintain the plunger in the first mentioned position while the gas flowing through the burner is ignited, said gripper member including a thermally responsive element anchored to the burner and positioned to extend into the gas flame.

4. The combination with a burner and a cock for said burner having a passage therethrough, of a plunger slidably mounted in said cock and provided with an opening therethrough, a lever pivotally supported by said burner, a link connecting one end of said lever with said plunger so that movement of the plunger to a position bringing said opening in register with the passage through the cock will impart movement to the lever, the other end of said lever being of sufficient weight to normally act upon said plunger to move it to a position with said opening and said passage out of register, an abutment member carried by said burner, a gripper member pivotally supported by said burner and positioned to cooperate with said abutment member to maintain said lever and said plunger in the first mentioned position, said gripper member having a temperature responsive element anchored to the burner and rigidly connected to the gripper member, so as to extend across the top of the burner.

5. The combination with a burner and a cock therefor, of an abutment member depending from the burner, a control element movably mounted on said burner and having a thermally responsive member extending over the top of the burner, said control element having a depending clamp member cooperating with the abutment member, a gas control means including a plunger movable Within said cock, and an operating lever directly connected with said plunger at a position outside of the burner, said lever being movable to a position between the clamp member and said abutment.

6. The combination with a burner and a rotatable cock therefor, of a normally fixed abutment member attached to the burner, a clamp member movably mounted on the burner and cooperating with said abutment member, a thermally responsive element connected to and extending at an angle from said clamp member, and anchored in a position extended across the top of the burner, gas control means including a plunger longitudinally movable Within said cock, and an operating lever directly connected with said plunger at a position outside of the burner, said lever being movable to a position to be gripped between the movable clamping member and said abutment.

In testimony whereof .I have hereunto set my hand.

ADOLPH TH. GRENTZ. 

